After a short 3 month contract, Luke Kendall has left the Wildcats after deciding not to stay until the end of the season. His likely team to play for next is the Tigers who are desperate for a PG of such.

I am glad to see the back of him as he really did not do anything for the cats in the 3 months he was here.

Geez it is hard being a sporting team atm. Hopefully we can pick up a major sponsor soon otherwise our survival would be in limbo.

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Wildcats grit teeth over cash pressures24th March 2009, 6:00 WST

Perth Wildcats face a major cash crisis following the collapse of their biggest sponsorship deal but have vowed to push on for a licence to play in a revamped NBL competition later this year.

Property group Saville Australia will not complete the final year of a threeseason “principal partnership” with the club because the company was struggling in the tough world economic climate.

It was believed Saville Australia was to inject $350,000 into Perth’s coffers in 2009-10 and had an option to extend the arrangement into a fourth season.

Saville Australia spokesman Peter Kavanagh said his group was cutting its operations and no longer saw the deal as a suitable marketing option.

Basketball Australia hopes the new NBL will tip off in October. But with the dire economic conditions and the recent difficulty the Wildcats have had in attracting a top-level sponsor, the club faces the tough task of raising an extra $2 million in cash and guarantees in a hurry to operate in the revamped league.

And Wildcats officials told The West Australian late last year owner Jack Bendat wanted outside financial help to field a Perth team in the new competition.

“We believe the Wildcats have strong community links. We want to continue and expand those programs but we will need outside help. It can’t be up to just one person,” Perth chief executive Nick Marvin said in December.

“We will require more corporate and government support in order for us to continue into the future.”

The Wildcats, the second-oldest franchise in the NBL behind foundation club Wollongong after joining in 1982, have endured a series of problems with their major sponsorship for 10 years.

The club couldn’t secure a top-level corporate backer early in the decade, had a two-year deal with mysterious telco Oriant until 2006 and spent the following season without a principal partner before Saville came on board in May 2007.

Support for the NBL in general has waned. Powerful Melbourne Tigers didn’t secure a major sponsor until December.

Under conditions set by Basketball Australia for new-NBL licences, clubs must provide a $1 million bank guarantee, not cash, to ensure team operations can continue if management falls into financial difficulties.

Such difficulties caused the demise of the Brisbane Bullets, Sydney Kings, Sydney Spirit and Cairns Taipans over the past 14 months.

BA has lifted each team’s salary cap by $360,000 to $1.2 million and stated in a report last year it wanted each licence holder to contribute to a marketing fund, believed to be about $300,000 a club.

Marvin denied the absence of a major sponsor would affect Perth’s licence bid.

“With almost six months to go before our season commences, we are extremely confident of not only attracting a major sponsor but based on the interest to date, fulfilling all our sponsorship objectives,” Marvin said.

“This month alone the Wildcats will conduct 100 school clinics across WA. We sold out every game this season. Basketball is alive and well and the Wildcats are one of the best and most successful sporting brands in this State.”

It looks like the Wildcats have parted with coach Connor Henry after only 1 season at the helm. He was contracted for 2 seasons but due to the NBL ceasing to exist and a new league about to be announced all contracts are null and void for the new league.

The Perth Wildcats have released a statement from club Chief Executive Nick Marvin confirming their intention to play in the league in 2009/10. The full statement is below.

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The Perth Wildcats are disappointed with the decision of the Melbourne Tigers and the South Dragons to withdraw from the proposed New NBL competition at this late stage. As a result of their decisions this now leaves the league with no clubs from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

The Perth Wildcats are committed to playing basketball and will lodge an application to play in the reformed league. It is our goal to not only field a successful team on court but to continue growing the sport at a grass roots level, as illustrated by the numerous school clinics that the players have conducted since the end of the season. It is imperative that young basketballers continue to have faith in a system that one day can give them the opportunity to play in front of thousands of people. It is the legacy of our owner Jack Bendat to ensure that basketball is not lost within the sport spectrum and that the Perth Wildcats players of today establish themselves as role models within the community and to continue to not only entertain by what we do on court but also to inspire individuals.

We will do our very best to keep all sponsors, corporates, members and supporters up to date. We appreciate the many phone calls of support thus far and hope to have good news in the near future.

The Perth Wildcats will continue the process of working with Basketball Australia and the other clubs for a successful outcome for everyone involved - the players, the coaches and most importantly, the thousands of Perth Wildcats supporters across Western Australia

The Wildcats have lost Peter Crawford and Jeff Dowdell to the Townsville Crocs. It looks like Hinson, Victor, Knight wont be back. Loughton and Goulding are gone as well.

Only players to sign up are Redhage, Weigh and Robbins. It looks like Martin will sign as our guard. Rogers should be signed up for his last season. Former Cat and Cairns player Catallini looks like he is signing up for a season with the cats. He and Rogers are 35 years old so they are getting on.

The Perth Wildcats have announced that last season’s captain and 2000 NBL MVP Paul Rogers has re-signed with the club.

Perth also revealed the addition of former Perth Wildcats Championship player and WA-born Martin Cattalini and 23-year-old Australian and former Metro State leading scorer and rebounder, Jesse Wagstaff.

"We are really pleased to secure the services of someone like Cattalini," Perth Wildcats CEO Nick Marvin said. "A Boomer, with three NBL championships, Cat will provide the team with an exceptional amount of experience, toughness and most importantly scoring power.

"Only three seasons ago did Martin post his best numbers of his career and last he shot 50% from the field and 40% from the perimeter - we believe he will be able to have a similar impact for us this season."

"Jesse is someone that has close ties to Rob Beveridge. His basketball statistics from Metro State suggest that he will have an immediate impact on the league. Only last week Rob had the opportunity to put Jesse through his paces at the AIS and was extremely happy with what he saw. We genuinely believe that Jesse will be an exciting addition to our playing roster."

Together with Stephen Weigh, Shawn Redhage and Brad Robbins who return from last year, the club expects to sign two imports this season.

New Wildcats import Kevin Lisch has touched down in Perth and is already excited about the opportunities presenting themselves for the 2009/10 NBL season.

With the Wildcats’ season opener just 45 days away, only six rostered players have checked in for training.

But the squad is set to be bolstered later this week by the return of Boomers swingman Stephen Weigh and Shawn Redhage, who has been plying his trade in Puerto Rico with Quebradillas Pirates.

Lisch has had two training sessions since arriving late last week and is enjoying life Down Under with his new teammates.

“It was a lot of fun and they’re just a great group of guys to be around. They’re hard workers and I’m just trying to learn on the go, but I’m fitting in fine,” Lisch said.

Described as one of the toughest guards ever seen at SLU, Lisch has impressed the Wildcats coaching staff with his tenacity.

But the modest 22-year-old remains focused with six weeks of hard work to come under head coach Rob Beveridge and assistant Mark Radford ahead of the opening-round clash with Wollongong at the Snakepit on September 25.

“People say what they want, but I’ll take it. We’ve got some other tough guards here, too,” Lisch said.

“Coach Radford and I got some tapes yesterday, I’m starting to do my homework a little and study up on the game here. The competition’s great and I’m looking forward to it.

“It’s a very high skill level. These are professionals out here and it’s one of the top leagues in the world. I’m sure it’s going to be a step up.”

Radford said the combination of Lisch with fellow guards Brad Robbins and Damien Martin would create a “destructive” Wildcats backcourt this season.

And it was Lisch’s character that convinced the Wildcats coaching staff to sign him up.

“Lisch is young out of college and passionate and wants to prove his worth,” Radford said.

“His unselfishness has been a factor right through the process. It was a pretty easy choice in the end.”

DAMIAN Martin secured his place among Perth’s all-time greats by leading the Wildcats to their seventh NBL title with a 75-52 rout of New Zealand in the grand final decider at Perth Arena.

The Perth captain’s defensive desperation rubbed off on his teammates in the do-or-die clash, with the veteran also adding 10 points, eight rebounds and two steals to win Grand Final MVP honours.

Martin’s fine all-round performance on Sunday capped his status as the series’ most influential player beyond doubt after he near single-handedly lifted the Wildcats over the line in Game 1.

Conversely, Martin’s opposing number Cedric Jackson had a Sunday afternoon to forget. Having starred in Game 2 in Auckland, Jackson went scoreless on five attempts and fouled out early in the last term.

Martin’s third championship – and second as skipper – was just reward for a stunning comeback from a string of injuries, including a fractured jaw, earlier in the season.

The popular veteran was treated to cheers of “MVP” from the sellout crowd of more than 13,000 fans as the game wound down, with players hugging and cheering on the sidelines.

The win ensured a club-first for Trevor Gleeson, who became the only coach to lead Perth to multiple NBL titles.

“I’m just so proud of the guys through what they’ve done this year,” Gleeson said.

“From Damo getting a broken jaw and the adversity we’ve had with injuries late in the year … to come back and play like that over the past four weeks is fantastic.Wildcats fans celebrate the win.

“Today was by far our best performance as a team. The chemistry within this group is the best I’ve had in 20 years of coaching, and that really shone out when we were getting beaten and today.”

Martin said he was thrilled to earn a third championship ring, capped by his own personal ovation late in the game while getting subbed out.

“It’s an incredible feeling when you actually get to stop, look up into the crowd and enjoy the environment as a whole,” he said.

“It’s a bit emotional looking up and seeing 13,000 on their feet, clapping the team. It’s a moment I’ll never forget.

“Winning a championship is just so special. I’ve been on the receiving end of a couple against New Zealand, and to stand up there and hold that trophy – no matter who the opponent is – is such a special feeling.”

A lockdown third term in which the Cats held their opponents to just eight points was the catalyst for the triumph, sending the raucous crowd into party mode for the game’s late stages with the result beyond doubt.

Casey Prather led Perth’s scoring with 19 as he responded following a quiet opening to the series, while fellow import Jermaine Beal had 14. Reserve centre Tom Jervis helped lead his team’s improved performance in the paint with eight points and nine rebounds.

Prather and Nate Jawai (nine points) capped the win with late flushes, underlining their importance as contributors – and highlight makers – during their debut seasons in Perth.

Tom Abercrombie fought admirably for the Breakers with 21 but played a lone hand as his team mustered just 11 baskets after the opening period.

Starting their third clash in just five days, the fatigue factor was plain to see for both teams as the game got underway.

But someone forgot to tell Martin he was supposed to be sore and tired. The guard was his usual energetic self, rising for a chase-down block – harshly adjudicated a goaltend – and then getting his hands on a deflected ball for fast-break points.

Most notably, Perth was getting to the rim with much greater ease than in Game 2. Nate Jawai produced a spurt of six points before a four-point play from Beal pushed the Cats’ lead into double digits.

Martin set the tone immediately after the restart with a tough two under the bucket, and when Beal drained another triple soon after, the writing was on the wall for the Breakers.

With almost the entire squad out of contract at season’s end, it remains to be seen how many of Perth’s quad will return to defend the title next year.

But it will be of little concern on Sunday night as the Wildcats cemented their status as the NBL’s most successful team.